Kendrapada: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a fresh Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Superintendent of Police, Jajpur, and the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Jajpur, in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 19-year-old college student and sought details of compensation provided to the victim under the Victim Compensation Scheme.
The Commission passed the order August 17, 2026, while hearing a complaint filed by human rights defender Sagar Jena. According to the complaint, a 19-year-old female student of a college in Jajpur district allegedly attempted suicide after being sexually assaulted by a lecturer January 6, 2025.
The complaint alleged that during a practical examination, the accused lecturer, Bidyadhar Dhal, asked the student to hand over her mobile phone and subsequently attempted to sexually assault her inside the classroom. When the student resisted, the lecturer allegedly pushed her to the ground.
The student raised an alarm, but the peon who arrived at the spot allegedly failed to intervene. The lecturer allegedly left the classroom after other students reached the spot. The NHRC had taken cognizance of the matter June 25, 2025, and directed the Jajpur SP to submit an Action Taken Report.
In response, the Jajpur SP submitted an ATR to the Commission July 31, 2025. According to the police report, Bari-Ramachandrapur police station registered a case on the basis of the victim’s written complaint under Sections 74, 75, 76, 79, 115(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The sections were subsequently altered to Sections 74, 75, 76, 79, 64(1), 62, 115(2), 351(2) and 3(5) of the BNS.
The investigation, initially conducted by the Inspector-in-Charge, was transferred to the District Human Rights Protection Cell (DHRPC), Jajpur February 17, 2025, on the direction of the SP. Police arrested Chandan Rout, N. Alex and Pratap Mallik February 16, 2025.
Principal Sudhir Kumar Rout surrendered before the police February 21, while lecturer Bidyadhar Dhal was arrested March 19, 2025. A notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was also issued to Ashok Kumar Rout.
A preliminary charge-sheet was filed against seven accused May 19, 2025, while further investigation remains open under Section 193(9) of the BNSS. The NHRC, however, observed that the police report was silent on whether compensation had been granted to the victim under the Victim Compensation Scheme.
The Commission has now directed the Jajpur SP and the Secretary of the Jajpur DLSA to submit an updated ATR, including the present status of the investigation and details of compensation sanctioned and disbursed to the victim. The report has been sought by September 24, 2026.
